From Valinor
by Nessa Elendil
Summary: Many lives in Valinor were touched by Fëanor's proud and hasty words. The Darkening of Valinor was only the beginning of darkness for most...
1. Part One: The Kinslaying

_**A/N: This story is set up in parts instead of chapters, because I don't think the chapters are long enough by themselves. Not that that has anything to do with story. Now what does have to do with the story—**_

_**Amil/Mamil is Mother/Mommy**_

_**Atar is Father**_

_**Yende, caure lá. is Daughter, fear not.**_

_**And just in case it is not clear, Iléyena's father is from the House of Fëanor, mother from the House of Finarfin.**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Tolkien's brilliant work.**_

Chapter One

My amil said that I was fortunate to have seen the light of Valinor, and the Two Trees shining forth in unparalleled majesty. Atar said I am fortunate for we will soon be leaving this land. There are ships, he says to me, to carry us back to the land from whence we came, the Hither Lands that he does not remember, and that Amil never knew.

I sat on our table where Atar placed me; my feet dangling over the edge. My eyes watched as my small legs kicked at the bottom of my purple dress, causing it to move as if in the wind, but my ears listened to the angry words of my parents.

My atar hurried through our house, as he tried to collect my amil so we may go. I understood enough to know we would not be returning, but still, I did not know why. The wisdom of the Eldar had yet to find me.

"This home has ever been our haven, when did it turn into our prison? Your judgment is clouded with lies of the rightly named Black Foe," Amil said to Atar, making no effort to hide her disgust at the events that had surrounded us.

"Your Lord also makes to leave, not only our new king. You asked me to abide here, by the wisdom of Nolofinwë, and judgment of Arafinwë, when I made ready to follow King Finwë, and so I did. Now I make ready to follow their decisions again, but still you wish to stay."

"Have you listened not to the words of our self-proclaimed High King, or just not heard their mirroring of Melkor's words?"

"Speak not the accursed name, Nenailin!" Atar shouted, resentment strong in his voice.

Atar had never before raised his voice to Amil like this, and I stopped the game with my dress to watch. My parents each stared in silence at the other, my amil's blue eyes bore into Atar's grey, but he looked away from the fury of her gaze.

"Stay then, if you will," he voiced, his tone less harsh, though no less resolved. "But Iléyena will come with me."

I did not move upon hearing this. Leave home was all we were meaning to do, never leave behind Nenailin too! But when Atar came to collect me in his arms, I could make no movement.

Amil reached me first; she picked me off the table and held me protectively against her breast.

"You will not part her from me."

I buried my face into her soft, golden hair, her voice frightening me so. Atar did not end his decision there.

"You have then no choice but to come," he told her.

In her shock at his response, I felt Amil's arms grow loose around me, and Atar pulled me from her lax hold, cradling me himself.

In a final attempt to disdain Atar from his course, Amil looked to him and proclaimed, "Nothing good will come from this," her voice displaying the wisdom of her life.

But Atar would not hear her. "Now is when we will depart," was all the reply he gave to her.

Chapter Two

We were stopped only briefly by a messager of the Valar, but King Fëanáro paid him no heed. We would shortly be in Alqualondë, but there was talk of not sailing. Many believed that the Teleri would not give up their ships, but others, like Atar, said they would not refuse.

They did refuse.

Amil cursed Fëanáro and his sons as Atar moved to join them in arms. I understood not what that meant, and watched Atar closely as Amil tried to shield me. My eyes grew wide and I screamed when I saw a sharp blade of the Noldor slice through the stomach of another Elf. I looked at Atar, and saw blood drip from his blade as well.

It was all a blur, the screams of terror and agony, the crimson blood blending with the shore's pale sand, the cries of war, Amil grasping my arms to pull me with her nearer her Lord. I could not tell how it began, or when it ended, but soon, all was over. 'Soon' passed slower than a lifetime as Atar walked back to us, blade in hand, and I cowered upon seeing it, shining red in the starlight.

"Yende," Atar said, "caure lá." He gently tucked my hair behind my ear. I looked onto him with more courage in my grey eyes, but no less fear in my heart. He tried to touch my face again, but Amil pulled me from his reach.

"Touch not my daughter!"

"Nenailin-"

"I will not hear this! What justice can ye find for raising blade against your kin?"

Atar paused. "I have no justice you will hear."

Chapter Three

Amil wept for the Noldor's wretched souls as she carried me aboard a waiting ship. I cried for what Amil called the loss of my innocence. Atar walked behind us, gently rubbing one of my small hands in both of his larger ones. He spoke no word, though my mind tried to cover its emptiness by waiting to hear him say, "Hush now, Iléyena," as he had when the Unlight of Ungoliant clouded my vision.

But no comfort did I find with him now. If he would turn his blade against his kin, then what of Amil and me? Never would he seem the same to me.

My arm latched tightly about Amil's neck when I moved, and I pulled my hand from Atar's. My tears suddenly ceased to flow as I looked back at the land I had once known. The shores were stained with bodies and blood, which mixed into Lord Ulmo's clear, blue sea. Seabirds choked in the air as lament, and some of their feathers dripped red as they flew. Fish who swam where the slaughter was greatest began to float, and I cried again.

I looked away from the battle scene, unable to scan the mourning faces of the great Teleri, and looked upon Taniquetil. I could not remember such darkness before, no light save the stars above, but I could still remember its fair, purple hue, adorned in green as Silver and Gold light mixed; the shining blue of the palace of Manwë, and Varda his Queen, I could still see as his sapphires twinkled in her dim light.

The last time I was there on the mountainside, the last time I would stand there, sitting upon Atar's shoulders as he climbed up with Amil at his side, I never would have believed…


	2. Part Two: To Helcaraxë

_**A/N: Only one chapter in this part.**_

_**"Melme" is "love" in Quenya.**_

Chapter Four

It was dark now. Always dark. The stars were ever present in the heavens, but their light seemed dim to my eyes, having before only known the blessed Light of the Two Trees. Even when the light mingled, the world did not seem as dark as this.

I had never been on a ship before, and the new experience quickly extinguished much of my fear, for I loved the sea. But now we were not on the sea, we were resting from the waters. Amil said they had become treacherous to our kin, because of the storm that assailed us when first we began to sail out to sea. After the storm, both Amil and Atar were holding me, so I saw and heard little of it through the shield of their bodies, but the herald I did hear. When he first appeared, I heard Amil whisper, "Lord Mandos," and Atar said nothing at all. I was still, as I had never before been in Valinor, as I listened to those words.

I could not understand the meaning behind them, but when Amil saw Lord Arafinwë turn with much of his House, she said those words were not for me. She wanted to return with the House of her people, but Atar refused to allow me to go. So we all sailed.

Now though, we had reached the Helcaraxë, and were camped on the coast, waiting to cross it. Many were asleep; I lay in Amil's arms, watching the light of the stars. Amil tenderly ran her fingers through my loose, brown hair as she quietly hummed a lullaby in my ears. I knew she fell asleep when her song ended and her fingers were still, but I stayed awake.

I knew not how long we rested there before Atar came, silently walking towards us. He lifted a finger to his lips when he saw my eyes were open and watching him. He knelt next to Amil, and lightly placed a hand on her shoulder. "Nenailin," he whispered. She awoke.

With one arm still around me, Amil pushed her golden hair from her blue eyes. "Tálcar?" she asked with a quiet voice of sleep.

"Shh," he instructed. "Come."

Amil was too tired to give much thought to what was going on as she slowly pushed herself from her rest and picked me up, making to follow my atar. But it took her not long to see most others were still asleep, and those who were not all worked in near silence.

"What is happening?" she asked in a harsh whisper. I kept silent, trying to understand what was going on when Amil's tone of voice said she already knew.

"Melme…" He reached a hand to brush her hair away from her face, but she slapped it away.

"I will not abandon-"

"Then stay if you will," Atar replied less harshly that she, "but if I have to steal her from your sleeping grasp, my daughter comes with me."

I held Amil more tightly after hearing this, not knowing what Atar meant.

Amil was still for a long moment, and made not a sound. I heard only her heart beat.

"Fine," she said, and I could hear the tears in her eyes.

I peeked at Atar to see him nod, and he led us back onto one of the ships. Soon, we set sail once more.


	3. Part Three: The Crossing

_**Iléyena: Since this is my story... can I-**_

_**No.**_

_**Iléyena: ...**_

Chapter Five

Helcaraxë was colder than the open sea, but I did not mind the cold. I loved watching the waves splash against the ship so much that I hardly noticed how frigid it was. I had climbed up the rail on the side of the boat to get a better view. I straddled it, and one leg and a hand was all I kept on the ship's inside. I lowered my head as far to the ocean as I could stretch my neck, and laughed as a cold splash of water hit my nose.

"Nessa!" I heard my amil cry when she noticed I was no longer at her side. Her hands wrapped around my waist and she pulled my back on board.

I grinned sheepishly at her as I curled myself up as best as I could being held as I was, and Amil set me down on my backside. I scrambled to my feet and gazed mischievously back at the smoothly carved rail. I had already been forbidden from attempting to climb the swan head at the ship's front.

Amil crouched down to level height with me. "Stay _inside_ the rail," she lightly reprimanded me, giving my nose a soft tickle, which caused me to giggle and squirm.

I did listen to her, but once her attention was not solely on me, the lure of what lay on the outside of the rail was too strong for me to ignore. I started climbing up again.

"Nessa!" Amil exasperated.

Unwilling to climb back down, I did not, but her voice was enough to keep me from climbing further up, over too.

"Iléyena, heed your mother," Atar said, coming to where Amil and I were.

Slowly, I climbed back down to where Amil had bidden me to remain and grinned innocently up at my parents. I cautiously walked towards my amil and leaned against her leg, burying my still-grinning face in her dress.

She sighed. "Little imp," she said softly, running five slender fingers through my hair. I grinned more, my face still hidden by her dress.

My grin faded quickly though, when the ship lurched with incredible force. The wave that hit us sent a few Elves into the chilly waters, and everyone else was thrown down. Atar grabbed the rail and fell to his knees as the boat continued to be roughly strewn about, and I clung to my amil, nearly paralyzed by the sea's wrath.

Screams and confusion filled the deck. Those who had been thrown overboard were lost. The wood of the ship groaned under the pressure of the waves, and in some places it snapped, throwing more to the sea.

Amil tried to steady herself when the boards she was standing on splintered, and her ankle was caught between them. She screamed and tried to free herself while keeping her hold on me. I could only cry.

"Tálcar! …Tálcar!" Amil's shouts joined the choas as her leg became more firmly stuck within the broken ship, her red blood beginning to stain the white-painted wood as tears stained her cheeks.

Atar heard her, and tried to get to us without being thrown to the water's mercy. He stumbled as the ship rocked harder, too far away when Amil's eyes turned to horror when she saw the wave that was to come.

Finally woken from my paralytic state, I cried out, and tried to hold my amil more tightly. "Mamil!" I cried. "Mamil!"

But she did not hold me closer as I wished her to. She called out to Atar once more, and half threw, half shoved me towards him. I screamed again, and my arms flew out. I felt Atar's hand catch my small wrist, and he tightened his grip. All I knew next was I felt like I was drowning. My screams were lost as the wave crashed down over us. I could not breath, could not see, could not think. All I heard was the rush of heavy water, and all I felt was cold against my skin. It seemed to last for a lifetime, but it all ended as suddenly as it began.

Chapter Six

I shivered, every inch of me soaked with freezing water. My wet hair, looking darker than it was, was plastered to my head and face, and my dress clung to my small form. Atar's strong grip about my wrist was the first thing other than cold that I noticed. He was stretched out, his other arm wrapped tightly around the rail was all that had kept us on deck during the wave.

The sea seemed to have calmed now, but the damage it inflicted would soon take the ship to its depths.

Atar pulled me close to him, and held me securely in his arms. "Nenailin," I heard him whisper, but not to me.

I turned in his arms to look for my amil, but I could not see her. Not even a drop of blood remained to tell where she had been, only the hole in the deck, wider now.

"…Amil?"

_**A/N: If there is any confusion about anything in this part, please say something. Things always look so different in my mind than when they end up typed. I also like random reviews that relate to the story. ...Just saying.**_


	4. Part Four: Another Ship

Chapter Seven

"Amil?"

I called to her again, and when she did not answer, I stopped noticing how I shivered from the cold. Wherever I looked, I could not see her; there was no one at all…

"Atar, Atar where is she? Amil should be right there…" I was still staring at the spot of broken wood where her ankle had been captured. Frightened now, I tried to move away from Atar's grip to find Amil myself, but his hold on me was strong. After struggling enough to loosen it, Atar seemed to come out of his shocked state. He swiftly scooped me up and held me as close as he could. He buried his face in my soaked hair and cried.

Panic set in, for Atar never cried in front of me. Freezing and afraid, I wound my arms around his neck and buried my face between my arm and his neck. All that I could think to do was cry as well.

Amil was not here.

Chapter Eight

Time had no meaning anymore. I could not tell how long we stayed like that, Atar and I. All I knew was that I craved my amil like I never had before. However frightened I may have been, however lost I may have felt when waves were crashing against me, it was nothing compared to this. Amil was not going to come for me.

I would have prayed to the Valar for her return had I been able to think of anything besides hugging my arms around Atar's neck.

"Tálcar," an Elf I might have known said, carefully approaching us. "Tálcar, this ship is sinking."

If Atar heard him, he made no indication of it. I heard the words, but I cared not enough to process their meaning. I only wanted Amil back.

"Tálcar, you must move."

Still no response from Atar, or me. I only clutched my atar tighter, and he stroked my still soaked hair.

I did not notice as the Elf came closer, but I did notice when he placed a gentle hand on my back, hoping for an answer from me instead. I screamed at the contact, unwanted and unexpected, and clung to Atar tighter still. My scream broke Atar from his trance, and he followed the Elf quickly, me still in his arms, without saying a word.

I turned my head, eventually, to see in front of me. At the rear of the ship, thick ropes attached the rail to the side of another ship, and planks had been set across the watery gap.

"Hurry, Tálcar, we are the last."

Another offered to help carry me, I think, but I cuddled closer to my atar's strong chest, and his grip on me refused to falter. I did not look as he crossed onto the 'safe' ship with me. For once, I did not want to see the sea.

I looked back when I heard the ropes cut and the planks pulled back on board. I vaguely registered Atar wrapping a soft blanket around me as I watched the ship I used to be on sink. When it had disappeared, I jumped from Atar's tiring arms, and ran to the rail, a frayed end of a rope still tied there.

"Amil!" I cried once more. "Amil!" Tears again flooded my eyes when the sound of small, crashing waves was all I heard. "Amil!" Why would she not answer me?

I was sobbing once more into Atar's chest as he held me secure. When I ran, he followed, and when I stopped, he wasted no time in returning me to his safe hug.

Chapter Nine

I had soon run out of tears to cry, and even with the dry blanket around me, I grew colder every moment.

This ship was crowded; our place to sleep was on the open deck. But still Atar managed to get blankets for us from those who helped us off our ship, and a dry dress, small enough for me, while rescued supplies were being stored.

I did nothing to help or hinder when Atar sat me down next to the blankets that were our own now. He removed the blanket around me from my shoulders, and peeled my wet clothes off of me. My teeth had chattered as I shivered before, but the new blast of cold sea air caused me to gasp and wrap my arms tightly around myself. Atar wrapped the blanket even tighter back around me. With another, smaller, warm cloth he dried my long, brown hair as well as he could. When he was done, he removed the blanket from around me, and pulled the dry dress on me. Even when the blanket was again secured around my shoulders, I felt cold.

Atar stripped off his wet clothes until he wore almost nothing, and lay atop a blanket after setting them to dry. He pulled me close and wrapped the blanket around the both of us, his arms around me. I could not tell if he fell asleep.

Silently, I cried. I only wanted my amil back…


	5. Part Five: The Hither Lands

_**A/N: Quenya in this part-**_

_**Nóre = Land**_

_**Yende = Daughter**_

_**Selda = Child**_

Chapter Ten

Night was impossible to separate from day with only the stars lighting this blackness. So I thought of night as when Atar slept. I waited for him to fall asleep, as I had for many nights since Amil... was lost. The moment I was sure he would not be awakened by my movement, I crept out of his warm arms and quietly sneaked to the rail of the ship. I knelt down as close to the edge as I could get, and softly whispered to the waves. I did not think about what I was saying, I only wanted Amil to hear. She would hear. She would follow my voice, and find me again in the Hither Lands.

The light waves that splashed against the ship's side were her hands, trying to take hold of the slippery, white wood that glowed in the starlight. Lord Ulmo I loved; he would not take my amil from me. She would be back. She had to be.

I spoke until my quiet voice grew hoarse from the strain of allowing only Amil, and the sea, to hear. Then I tiptoed back to where Atar lay. The wind brought chill through my light, purple dress. That it had once been soaked in salty water did nothing to help. I sat next to my atar, and cuddled against his warm body. His sleeping arms wove around me, and I finally realized that I felt safe.

Chapter Eleven

Atar had yet to awaken, so I stared at the stars as he, and most of the rest on the ship, continued to sleep. I crept up carefully, growing bored of staying in one place; I was going to talk to Amil again. But a cry of "Nóre!" stayed my feet.

"The Hither Lands! Just yonder! We have arrived..." The speaker's voice ended in wonder.

As surely as my feet had been rooted to the deck, they again sprang to life when the words came to an end.

Everyone had been woken by his cry, and they looked to the ship's hull, many beginning to move forward. I ran as fast as my small, covered feet would carry me, eager to see this once-distant land for myself. When I reached the crowd by the ship's front, I pulled the warm shoes off my feet. They were met with a blast of chilly air, but my toes were grateful of this chance to breathe.

I crawled between legs and Elves to better see the sight that waited over the ship's edge. With the aid of my bare toes and feet, I climbed up the neck of the graceful swan that led our way to see over the many taller heads.

"Iléyena!" I heard my atar call before I got a chance to see. I slid down the long wooden neck, back onto the ship, to answer his call. Not until I was back on deck did I think it odd that I acted obedient when I so desperately wanted to see. I ran to Atar, then ran to the swan's wing, and climbed up there instead.

"Atar! Atar! I see it! I can see the Hither Lands!"

"And ye will see them better, Selda, in only a short while, so for now, climb down from there."

I climbed instead as I high as I could get, caring only to see as much of this Middle-earth as my eyes could capture.

"Iléyena!" he scolded my disobedience. But with Atar so near, he knew I was not lost among these many Elves, so I saw no reason to obey. "Nessa!" he tried instead.

Rarely did Atar use my mother-name. With one last look at the shadowy mountains outlined majestically by glowing stars, I slowly climbed down, and retreated to my atar's arms.

Chapter Twelve

Finally. We were here.

Solid ground felt foreign against my feet, after spending so long at sea. Excitement shone in my eyes as an eagerness to see all these lands contained grew in my swiftly beating heart. I longed to run, to test the vastness of this place. I took no more than two steps before I found myself contained in Atar's arms.

"Take care not to get lost, Iléyena. This place is unlike Valinor, in many ways..."

Atar's words I did not fully understand, for I did not see how they were necessary. I knew the Hither Lands were unlike Valinor, which was why I ached so desperately to run through them as I did the woods back home. Atar was still speaking to me, but this land had me so entranced I heard them not as I continued to struggle against his grip.

"Iléyena, listen to me-"

He was cut off by a commotion behind us, closer to the water's edge. He put me down, but kept a firm hold on my small hand. I could not escape from his hold, as much as I tried to get free. He had had too much practice keeping away from where I was not supposed to be.

I stopped struggling when I saw fire illuminate this place, and instead watched the flames grow, curiously.

"Yende, stay put." Atar placed me near a large rock, visible from the shoreline, and approached where the fire raged upon the sea. At first, disobedience did not occur to me.


	6. Part Six: The Ship Burning

Chapter Thirteen

I watched the light get brighter and brighter as the atmosphere around me transformed into chaos. My unnatural streak of obedience disappeared as the desire to know the source of the flames grew within me. I hoped down the rock Atar had situated me on and slowly crept closer, cautious of the near panic in the air.

Before I could reach my destination, though, my foot caught a rock, and I hop-twirled around to keep myself standing. Out from the rock, a small creature jumped and took off away from the light. I had never seen a creature that looked like the one I had just seen. I followed, trying to catch it.

After failing to catch the creature several times, I called out, "Come back!" with an almost whine in my voice. This creature had no reason to flee from me! I ran faster after it, hardly noticing as the trees grew closer together. Until I ran into one.

"Uff!"

I landed on my backside, thoughts on the creature pushed out of my mind when I looked up at the tree I hit. But it was not a tree; it was an Elf. One whose face I knew well. Lord Nelyafinwë.

Countless times Atar had taken me to Formenos, sometimes to the house of Fëanáro himself. I had seen the sons of Fëanáro many times there. But I had never spoken to any of them before, save Canafinwë, once.

He looked at me oddly, in a way I did not recognize. Anxiety of punishment for disobeying my atar suddenly filled me. Suddenly, he smiled, and lowered himself to my height.

"What brings you so far from the camp, young one?" he asked.

My eyes darted hurriedly until they found what I sought. I pointed mutely to the creature that had been evading me.

He turned, and gave a short almost-laugh in understanding. With a skill I did not possess, he swiftly caught the small creature in one hand and handed it to me.

I smiled and pressed my face against the creature's soft, furry body.

"You should hurry back to your parents, young one, before you fill your amil with worry."

I looked up at him again, my grip on the creature loosening. Amil was not here.

"Iléyena!"

I spun around and dropped the creature when I heard Atar yell for me.

"I said to stay put," he said, lifting me into his arms.

"You have a very curious daughter," Nelyafinwë said.

"My lord!"

I felt Atar almost drop me as he bowed.

"Yes, but, the ships."

"I know of the King's decision," he said, and walked toward the camp.

Chapter Fourteen

I was glad Atar did not think of punishing me for disobeying, but I still lept down from his arms when I saw the ships were what had been drenched in flames and tried to run closer before he grabbed me again.

"Atar!" Amil was still in the sea, she needed a ship to get across!

"Calm yourself, Yende," he said, holding me tighter and wiping my face.


	7. Part Seven: Dagor nuin Giliath

Chapter Fifteen

I did not know how far we had travelled, but I could no longer smell the sea. We were near a large lake, but Atar would not allow me to swim in it. And I was ready to go home. Maybe Amil had found a ship to take her back.

"Iléyena, will you change out of that dress?"

"No." My hands clutched a heavy blanket tighter around me.

"Is it your wish to freeze?"

Atar was not pleased that I refused to change the dress he had put me in when Amil left. But if Amil was not here to mend the tears I put in my clothes then I could only wear one if I wanted some dresses without tears. I moved closer to the small fire as Atar finished putting up our tent.

I heard him sigh.

He sat near me and pulled me into his lap. His arms encircled me, and he laid his cheek against my hair. "I miss her, too," he said, kissing my head.

Chapter Sixteen

I screamed and covered my ears when loud horns and yells began to echo in the mountains surrounding us.

Atar rose and almost threw me into the tent. "Stay there!"

I watched as he took out his sword to meet the ugly things that were yelling and invading our camp.

Blood. Swords. Bodies.

I crawled further into the tent and clutched a pillow the way I had Nenailin on the beach when we left home, burying my face. "Amil! Amil!"

The yelling grew louder. Orcs, Elves, other children.

"Mamil!"

I felt the air warm as an orange glow penetrated the tent. Everything was getting louder, and hotter.

"Iléyena!"

I looked up when I heard my atar's voice.

His hair was now matted, and blood stained his hands and reflected off his face. He dropped his red sword and pulled me close.

I screamed.

"It is over, Yende, they are gone. Hush now."

I could feel his hands leaving my hair damp. As he carried me out of the tent, I peered over his protecting shoulder. Save for children, women, and a few men, the camp was empty. Fires and screams were dying.

"See? We ran them out. We pursue them now. They will not return here. Never will I allow a harm to befall you."

I pressed my face back to his shoulder and held him with all the strength I possessed.

Chapter Seventeen

The ones who had pursued the enemy out of camp returned shortly after Atar set me on the ground. We watched as the sons of Fëanáro returned without the High King.

Before the whole of the army that had left came back, more people came from the south, Elves that we did not know. They had heard the cries of battle; some came with weapons, but not all. The ones who were armed lowered their weapons upon seeing we were kin.

Curious, I left Atar's side.

"Iléyena!"

These people spoke strangely, and I could not understand them. I watched one Elf walk away from a small group of my people and his and sit near a fire.

He looked at me and raised a hand in friendly greeting.

I smiled, waved back, and ran to the fire, sitting as well.

"I am called 'Sîdhlam'," he said slowly, with his hand on his breast.

His name was strange, but I grinned widely at understanding his words. "I am Iléyena." I turned and pointed to Atar, who was coming towards us. "That is my father, he is Tálcar. And—"

Sîdhlam gave a light laugh, said something in his own tongue, and made a lowering gesture with his hand.

I tilted my head, not sure what he meant.

"Sorry, Iléyena," he said. "Speak slower."

"Speak slower," I repeated, then repeated what he said in his language with his gesture.

He smiled and nodded. "Yes."

Atar came up behind me and sat with us. "I am sorry for my daughter," he said, pronouncing each word slowly.

"You are Tálcar?" he said. "I am Sîdhlam. And your daughter is a delight to know."

"Ye have not known her as long as I."

I grinned at Atar as Sîdhlam laughed.

Chapter Eighteen

With Atar, Sîdhlam spoke slowly in my tongue, but he tried to get me to learn his. In the short time we had sat around that fire, I had already learned a few words.

The new language ceased to interest me, though, when the clamor of armor echoed through the camp for a second time. I jumped closer to Atar and held him tightly.

He stood and placed me behind him, then rested he hand on his blade.

I peeked between my atar's legs and saw only a dozen or so orcs with flags raised before them.

"We come to speak for our Lord and Master and to offer his surrender. Our terms are for only your High Lords' ears," the largest one said.


End file.
